The Cycle of Life

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“Understanding the Rita brings happiness and fulfilment in our life cycle. To learn, to work, to enjoy the fruits of our labours and then spend our time and our wealth in the service of others is the highest ideal we can aim for in our lives.”

Anil Bhanot, Founder and Executive Trustee

The ancient Hindu Rishis advocated four principle aims in life: –

Dharma – to love and to live the principles of righteousness, justice and truth

Arth – to have a livelihood, to build an enterprise, to own property

Kaam – to enjoy life, and all the joys and beauty life offers, in companionship with the Supreme all-encompassing Spirit, Paramatma

Moksh – to seek liberation from the cycle of death and re-birth, by understanding and transcending the Rita, becoming one with the supreme Consciousness Paramatma

Dharma is the operating system in which Arth and Kaam are performed, leading ultimately to Moksh.

They also taught that there are four stages of life: –

Brahmcharya – The First Stage: to study and learn a discipline

Grysth – The Second Stage: to get married, have a family, take on work and responsibilities

Vanprasth – The Third Stage: to retire after discharging your responsibilities

Sanyaas – The Fourth Stage: to give away material possessions, Daan, and to serve others unconditionally, Seva.

If we all lived our lives in this way, we ourselves, our families, our communities and our nations would reflect an interconnected ‘consciousness’ that would see us flourish academically, emotionally, economically, ecologically, and spiritually. We would be free from any pure self-interest associated with accumulating wealth, as we would know our wealth would be used in a right and proper manner. We would live with a sense that while we must live and enjoy life within our means, ‘we bring nothing with us when we come into this world and we will carry nothing with us when we depart, except for the charity we give others.’     Rita:   what  you  sow  you  shall   reap

Rita Trust © 2010